They are found in old-growth grassland, especially on chalk and limestone soils. The peak glowing period is evenings in June and July. The males are sometimes attracted to man-made light fixtures. Due to this, females compete against each other for matings. Males are more likely to fly to a brighter female, because it is larger and has more eggs. The brightness of the glow is used by the males as an indicator of female fecundity. Virtually all of the energy produced is light only 2% is heat. The chemical reaction producing the light from luciferin is catalysed by luciferase, the exact chemical structure of which is determined by the glow worms' individual genetic structure, which in turn determines subtle differences in the light produced from individual to individual. The insect can regulate its light production by controlling the oxygen supply to the light emitting membranes containing luciferin.
Larvae are sometimes seen to glow, although they seem able to turn off their light more easily than the female, especially when disturbed. The light is emitted continuously, although they will wave their abdomens from side to side, which gives the impression of it brightening and dimming. The light can be seen by males up to 45 metres away.
The females can survive for at least 10 consecutive nights doing this. They will glow for two hours and then retreat back into their hiding place until the next night, or stop glowing as soon as they find a mate. They emit yellowish-green light from the translucent underside of their last three abdominal segments to attract the smaller males, which are winged. With it they have greater chances of mating, so there is a complex process involved. Light production is vital for Lampyris noctiluca. It is not found in North America, South America, South Asia, Australia and Antarctica. It also survives further north than any other firefly, almost reaching the Arctic Circle. The range of this beetle stretches from Portugal and Ireland in the west, right across Europe, Africa and Asia to China in the east. In Britain, this species is fairly common compared to its cousin Phosphaenus hemipterus – the lesser glow worm – which is very rare. The adult females are mostly famed for their glow, although all stages of their life cycle are capable of glowing.
These beetles use their bioluminescence to attract mates. The males are winged, with brown elytra, a clearer pronotum and a large brown spot in the middle, while females are larviforme, wings are missing and they are often twice the size of the males (up to 25 millimetres or 1 inch in length). Lampyris noctiluca presents a conspicuous sexual dimorphism. Lampyris noctiluca, the common glow-worm of Europe (see also " glowworm"), is the type species of beetle in the genus Lampyris and the family Lampyridae.
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